Next generation Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R in the works - Report

05/08/2015 - 18:40 Kawasaki ZX-10R, Kawasaki Aravind Jayachandran

Will be based on the existing platform.

In an interview with Speedweek, Kawasaki's WSBK team manager, Guim Roda, has said that the team will race a new bike in the 2016 season. So in order to compete with the new super bike, Kawasaki will have to develop a production-spec model, followed by testing and homologation ahead of the next season.

2015 Kawasaki Ninja ZX 10R 30th Anniversary Edition front three quarter green — The 2016 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R will retain the current platform but have a reworked chassis, swingarm, engine and electronics.

Given that World Superbike updated their rulebook for a stricter set of changes to be made on the production-spec model, competing brands will have to develop faster bikes right from the start of its development, rather than saving extensive and expensive factory team developments for the race bike.

This could mean that the next generation 2016 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R could be even more race-ready in stock trim. The current ZX-10R develops 200 PS from a 998cc inline four-cylinder engine paired to a 6-speed transmission. Roda has divulged that Kawasaki will not build a new bike from scratch, but will improve the existing platform in terms of chassis, swingarm, engine and electronics.

2015 Kawasaki Ninja ZX 10R 30th Anniversary Edition right side — The electronics and engine output would have to be reworked if the new ZX-10R has to beat the new R1 in performance.

Also Read: Kawasaki Ninja H2 launched in India at INR 29 lakhs

Rivals like BMW Motorrad and Yamaha have already met the new rules by updating the S1000RR and R1, respectively, to race-ready levels, whereas Ducati already has the Panigale R as their homologation bike for WSBK, while further extending the road superbike range with the 1299 Panigale and 1299 Panigale S.

[Source: Speedweek]